Do you constantly feel achy, have headaches, stomach acid or suffer from back and joint pain? If so, you need to consider the primary causes of these kinds of ailments and know that when you make adjustments to your lifestyle you can feel much better.

STRESS -

Chronic stress keeps the body on high alert. Your breathing is shallow, your muscles tighten, your sleep is interrupted, your digestive system is compromised and your thinking is cloudy. This results in inflammation and an overworked immune system. Solution: understand that stressful events come your way as a part of life; it is your job to find methods for healthfully manage your response to these events. Meditation, reaching out for support and exercise are some of the ways that work.

ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS

They are everywhere. refer to the Environmental Working Group’s website ewg.org for ways to lessen the load of environmental toxins in your food, your care products, your household cleaning products and your lawns and gardens.

POOR DIET

Eating highly processed foods which all contain refined sugar and grains, inflammatory fats leads to chronic inflammation. A diet of highly refined foods does not promote regular bowel movements, and constipation can cause all-over body inflammation. Eating simple whole foods, rich in nutrients and fiber along with ample hydration will do wonders for the chronically inflamed. I have seen this in my clients after a very brief shift to healthier foods and more water. However, even high quality foods may contain enzymes that are inflammatory for you, so you must be diligent about noticing how you feel after eating any kind of food. You are unique, and what might be classified as a quality food might not be the best food for you.

LACK OF MOVEMENT

Look at children. They are always in motion. They do not have aches and pain. Movement is essential for the human body to remain supple and pain-free. Find something you enjoy that involves movement and do it every day.

TOO MANY MEDICATIONS

Don’t just listen to what a medication can do for you. Listen to its side effects. Many of the side effects involve inflammation. Do your best to work with your health care practitioner to limit medications.

Reduce inflammation by reducing your stress and exposure to environmental toxins, improving your food, and increasing your movement. You will be amazed at the difference these simple steps will make.